When a trio of camels were plagued with itchy skin, our vets in Tunisia were on hand to provide them with the treatment and relief they desperately needed.
Alawaid, Alhena and Arrakis are three camels who live in Douz, a small town on the edge of the Sahara Desert, in Tunisia. Douz is a popular holiday destination, and the trio of camels support their owner, Lehbib, and his family by offering tourists short rides into the desert.
Lehbib took his camels to SPANA’s mobile veterinary clinic when it made one of its frequent visits to Douz. He was concerned that Alawaid, Alhena and Arrakis kept itching and scratching themselves, were losing their hair and were off their food.
At the clinic, our vets examined each camel carefully. They diagnosed scabies – a painful and itchy skin disease caused by mites. All three camels were affected because scabies is extremely contagious. One by one, the camels were administered anti-parasite medication to rid them of the mites. Our vets also checked their skin for sores, carefully cleaned them and applied a soothing cream on the worst-affected areas.
The vets told Lehbib to clean Alawaid, Alhena and Arrakis’ bedding, shelter and harnessing thoroughly and to keep them all separate and away from other animals until they had recovered. Because the condition can be passed to people, he was also advised to handle the animals very carefully. He should also check himself and his family for symptoms and seek medical attention, if needed. They invited Lehbib to the next mobile clinic so that his camels could be checked again and receive further treatment, if necessary. Finally, the vets advised Lehbib to give his camels some rest while their wounds healed and they recovered from the painful condition.
Lehbib thanked SPANA for helping Alawaid, Alhena and Arrakis. He added: ‘My camels work six hours a day in difficult conditions in the desert. I could not look after my wife and four children without their hard work.’
Your compassion for animals like Alawaid, Alhena and Arrakis enables SPANA to transform the lives of working animals worldwide. Whether they are a horse, donkey, mule, camel, oxen, or buffalo, our vet teams are there for all animals who provide a livelihood for their owners and support their communities by ploughing fields, acting as taxis, transporting essential goods and helping children get to school. Thank you for helping us be there for working animals in need.
